Should we make our mail delivery weekly instead of daily.

[Dingus]

The price of a first class stamp is due to go up to 60p in a few days. Is first class post too expensive and irrelevant.

 

I wonder if the post should opperate like bin collection and provide a weekly service at a much cheaper price.

 

Very little of what comes through my letterbox is of much interest to me these days. My banking is done online and I communicate by email or phone. 90% of the stuff arriving through the letterbox is now SPAM and goes straight into the recycling. It wouldn't matter to me if the post was delivered weekly or even monthly, but unless something is done to reduce the costs it will certainly price itself out of the market.

 

In the USA the postal service is pretty rubbish. If you post a letter it rarely arrives next day. 2 or 3 days is the norm. Yet you can mail a letter from New York to LA for about 25p. It doesn't seem to bother anyone now they aren't waitng for cheques.

 

I just envisage the postie arriving once a week and leaving a paperbag containing all my mail once a week or even once a fortnight, but with stamps costing around half what they do today. I could then simply tip the whole lot into the blue bin after sifting through for anythig I actually wanted.

[Hots on]

Imagine the shear amount of letters and parcels that will accumulate at depots.

[Dingus]

Imagine the shear amount of letters and parcels that will accumulate at depots.

 

That's no problem. They collect all your mail in your bag and deliver it using an electric vehicle like the old milk floats. I get virtually no parcels delivered through the mail. They all get delivered by courier these days, and the odd package that does come through the mail is delivered by a seperate mail man anyhow.

[laineyiow]

Why is it that people think EVERYONE has access to a computer and can receive things online. For some people receiving post - even junk mail - is the only link they have with the outside world.

Many people these days are so selfish only thinking of their own needs and not looking at the wider picture.

 

I agree though that the cost of sending a letter now with the new rates is disgusting but unfortunately Royal Mail can charge what they like - what's the alternative?

 

Oh and what about businesses will they be expected to have a weekly delivery too?

[kidley]

That's no problem. They collect all your mail in your bag and deliver it using an electric vehicle like the old milk floats. I get virtually no parcels delivered through the mail. They all get delivered by courier these days, and the odd package that does come through the mail is delivered by a seperate mail man anyhow.

 

My Bold

 

my postman delivers no end of packages to my house only the other day the regular post man delivered me $1000 in a silver envelope, your idea is the craziest yet on S/F i wonder how big the vans would be delivering to the council buildings once a week and the space needed to store them till collection day, not to mention urgent post, not every body has computers

[Aleksandr]

I can't answer the poll as there is no suitable option. I will say though that this is a very large and sudden percentage increase, and it should not have been allowed. Such things need to be phased-in, sensibly.

[muddycoffee]

I can't answer the poll as there is no suitable option. I will say though that this is a very large and sudden percentage increase, and it should not have been allowed. Such things need to be phased-in, sensibly.

 

The problem is not that a large increase has happened suddenly, but that the last government prevented price increases. Now the service has to up the price to keep it solvent.

[Emily Moore]

Why is it that people think EVERYONE has access to a computer and can receive things online. For some people receiving post - even junk mail - is the only link they have with the outside world.

Many people these days are so selfish only thinking of their own needs and not looking at the wider picture.

 

I agree though that the cost of sending a letter now with the new rates is disgusting but unfortunately Royal Mail can charge what they like - what's the alternative?

 

Oh and what about businesses will they be expected to have a weekly delivery too?

 

Get a computer and use Email.

[max]

The problem is not that a large increase has happened suddenly, but that the last government prevented price increases. Now the service has to up the price to keep it solvent.

 

Don't let facts get in the way: First class stamp to rise 3p to 39p from April 2009 because since 2006, Royal Mail has been allowed to increase the price of stamps by the RPI measure of inflation.

[Jeffrey Shaw]

First, let RM deliver post:

a. accurately [i.e. not mine to someone else's address or vice-versa];

b. daily [i.e. no skipping houses due to 'staff shortages']; and

c. at a reasonable time [i.e. before we go to work, not whenever RM feels like delivering].